While Corporator N R Ramesh has been trying to give a facelift to
Yediyur lake, residents and the members of the newly formed Yediyur Lake
Walkers Welfare Association seem to still have certain grievances.

Speaking
about the condition of the lake, the president of the association, C
Venkateshan said, “The maintenance of the lake is very bad mainly
because residents and passersby dump garbage in the lake.”

According
to members, one of the main issue responsible for pollution of the lake
is the immersion of Ganesha idols during the festive season. Over
1,68,000 idols are immersed in a span of a month. “It is due to this
immersion, the lake smells of chemicals and fails to attract birds.
Also, when the authorities undertake the disposal activity, they shut
down the walkers path for nearly four months. This is another
inconvenience caused for walkers and joggers,” said V Narayana, founder
of the association.

“Earlier the lake did not have basic
facilities like supply of drinking water and toilet facility. The
corporator has addressed the issue. But then, the dislocation of the
tiles in the walkers’ tracks has led to many senior citizens
mis-stepping and losing balance while walking. The corporator has
assured to restore it after the elections,” explained M S Mani,
secretary of the organisation.

The association members have
appreciated the cooperation and support from the corporator N R Ramesh,
who has extended a helping hand to revive the beauty of the lake.

But
environmentalists opine that beautification of the lake destroys the
natural beauty. Speaking about the same, environmentalist Suresh
Heblikar said, “Since the lake is very small in size, it takes around
10-15 trucks of soil to fill the lake. Instead saplings should be
planted on the edge of the lake. There are no catchment areas in these
lakes as they are encroached by apartments, shops and houses. The lung
space of Bangalore has been destroyed to a great extent. There are many
dying lakes in the city like Vasanthapura Lake, Subramanya Lake,
Uttarahalli Lake and others which demand attention. Authorities need to
concentrate on those lakes.”

However, residents here also complain
about snakes in the vicinity of the lake. But the BBMP authorities have
found a temporary solution. When asked, Sharat Babu, a wildlife warden
at the BBMP Forest Cell and Paramedic Centre, impudently answered, “This
problem persists not only in one lake but many other lakes too. Since
it is summer, complaints about from the residents near the lakes are
common.”

On the snake issue, Heblikar said, “It is the people who
have encroached the habitat of the snakes and other aqua creatures.
Snakes, snails and frogs are part of ecosystem and should not be
disturbed.”